I am part of the natural world, connected to all that exists within it.

Whether it’s in the backyard tending to a garden or flower bed, or on a hike in the mountains, taking the time to be immersed in natural surroundings connects us to our own natural presence on the planet. We often forget that our bodily aspect is part of the natural world. Our bodies are tuned in to the cycles of seasons, the rising and setting of the sun, and the lunar pull. We are just as connected to the physical world as any other organic system. We may not consciously feel that connection, but it exists whether we’re aware of it or not. Immersed in nature, our nature connects even more deeply to its planetary home and co-habitants. A walk in the park can be as nourishing to the spirit in the body, as a hug can be to the heart.

I envision my tomorrows as wonderful, blessed experiences that I look forward to.

I build my tomorrows on a foundation of hopeful, eager and joyful anticipation.

I live in today but am ever excited about tomorrow.

What has yet to be, shall be good, plentiful and easily experienced.

I know that tomorrow will be a great day.

Our tomorrows are created in our consciousness today. There are as many recipes for creating a better tomorrow as there are words to express the process, but a good place to begin is by finding what our personal default setting is… Stop for a moment and ask yourself, “How do I envision my tomorrows?” Do you consider the future as a chore? Bleak? Boring? More of the same? Or is tomorrow an eagerly anticipated cache of miracles and treasured moments to come? Do you see unexplored opportunities waiting to unfold? Love lying in wait? Aging, health issues and loneliness?

Our underlying beliefs and attitudes about tomorrow create the blue print for what will manifest. If thinking about your future feels uninspiring, worrisome or exhausting, change it before it manifests. To change the future, we need to shift our thoughts and feelings so that the tomorrow in our mind is what we wish it to be and look forward to arriving.

We’ve all had dreams we’ve never pursued. Goals that have never been fulfilled. Ideas that have never been manifested. Feelings that have never been shared. We can’t allow resistant or negative thoughts to stop us and we need to stop making excuses for our own lack of initiative. Money, time and contacts are not enough to stop us once we make up our minds to do something. It’s not always possible to transform the thoughts that seek to hold us back so we have to press on in spite of them. Sometimes it isn’t about not being afraid; it’s about being afraid and doing it anyway…..

I honour the fallen from every battle, in every land and from every moment in history.

I reflect on their courage and dedication.

I consider each and every a departed member of my human family.

In the United States this is Memorial Day, a day for remembering and honouring the fallen soldiers, sailors, guards and airmen of the military. It is a day for setting aside politics, opinions, and personal beliefs in order to honour bravery, sacrifice, and dedication. It is not a day about causes, it is a day about commitment and conviction. Let us remember those troubadours of courage who are forever our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters, grandparents, parents, wives and husbands and children…each someone’s child. Hold them all in our love.

And this Memorial Day as we honour the memory of the fallen, let’s add to our recognition those who survived the battlefield, but not the war. Many of those who come home, never do. Please think of those who still fly missions over Germany, forever climb the hills of Korea, sleep every night in the jungles of Vietnam, and continue to hide in the sands of the Middle East. Hold them all in our love.

I am grateful for opportunities to have all that is positive in my life.

I am blessed with a beautifully abundant and balanced life.

I have wealth and I am grateful.

I have a fulfilling purpose and I am grateful.

I have inner peace and I am grateful.

I have healthy relationships and I am grateful.

I have a healthy body and I am grateful.

I have a soul satisfying spiritual life and I am grateful.

I enjoy life’s pleasures and I am grateful.

Financial wealth, fulfilling purpose/work, inner peace, healthy relationships, physical health, connection to self and spirit, and time for fun and relaxation… These are seven fundamental components of an abundant and balanced life. If asked, many people would likely say that at least one of these areas in their lives has been sacrificed for another. Perhaps work that creates wealth has caused relationships to be shortchanged. Or maybe a deeply spiritual life has been created at the expense of wealth.

So why do we give up one thing in order to have another? Why don’t we strive to have it all? Sadly, many of us – usually unconsciously – do not believe we’re worthy of “having it all” and without the belief in our worthiness we never will. A good many more do not consciously believe it’s possible. It’s an all too common misconception that only through sacrifice can we achieve our goals. Of course if that were true no one would “have it all” and many do. Remember, if but ONE PERSON can achieve something, then so can anyone, even you and I. Still others feel selfish or self-centered just thinking about wanting to “have it all.” Those are limiting beliefs planted in us by others and they need to be uprooted. No one needs to settle for three out of seven when seven of seven is possible, and everyone has the same potential for that perfect seven.

Life is not always easy but it always holds something to cherish, to honour and to celebrate. It may be storming but outside birds still sing. Find a reason to celebrate. Look around the world and see the goodness, the glory and the greatness! Look in the mirror and see the smile, the wisdom and the potential! Rejoice in the monumental small details, the clean water, the gentle hug, the bee that dances from flower to flower. Celebrate good times, past, present, and future. Celebrate the Divine and Sacred gift of existence! Find a reason, any or none at all, but CELEBRATE!

And if my passionate words aren’t enough…. listen and just try not to dance! Celebrate!

Today I will make time to experience the wonders of the physical world.

I will deliberately pay attention to the wonders all around me.

I will look,

I will SEE,

and I will be in AWE.

In the United States the interstate highway maximum design speed in rural areas is 75 mph. Speeds on a single-track country road in the United Kingdom can be as high as 60 mph (97 km/h). On Italy’s Autostrade, speeds can reach 150 km/h. Bicyclists average 12-22 mph. Joggers average 4-7 mph. Even the average walking speed is 3.1 miles per hour. How much do we actually see at any of those speeds? Consider all the wonders that are missed because we are moving too fast to see that odd little bug toodling across the pavement, or the rabbit scurrying under the bushes, or the water droplet precariously perched for its descent on the edge of a blade of grass? As children we didn’t just look at nature, we SAW it, but as adults we have places to go and things to do and speeds to keep, much to our detriment. Seeing the wonder of nature keeps us humble, connected and centered in the mystery. Take time to go out in the world for the sole purpose of witnessing the wonder. Don’t just walk, kneel, reach and SEE. If you don’t remember how, take a child along and follow their lead!

I acknowledge and appreciate the many other mothers I have had as guides and models in my life.

There are as many different kinds of mothers as there are women. Some are the quintessential cookie-baking types, others are better at creating business contacts. Some are nurturing, some need nurturing. Some mothers show us beautiful paths, others throw roadblocks in our way. Some mothers become our friends, some our children, and some our adversaries. Some mothers teach us by example, from some we learn to be better than their example. A mother doesn’t have to be the one who gave birth, she doesn’t even have to be the one who did the raising. Some mothers are our mother’s friends, our aunts, our guardians, or any number of other women who showed us the way. Though not all are ideal parents, all mothers give us something we need for our journey. That may be little more than a physical body, or it might be a font of love and support. All mothers plant seeds from which we can learn to become and become better. On this day of honouring mothers, let us remember to honour them all – the devoted, the difficult, the birthing, the adopting, the fostering, the sister-like, the embarrassing, the proud, and all of the others. Each has had a place in our lives and offered us opportunities for growth, beauty, and expanded potential.

FOR FUN: Television has shown the faces of many mothers over the decades – single, married, divorced, unwed, doctors, lawyers, stay-at-homes (previously known as housewives!), musicians and witches. Some have been a little nutty while others were too serious but we’ve all been drawn to one or more in our lifetime for one reason or another. Enjoy the photos and the memories they invite!

I offer positive thoughts of healing, courage, recovery, and strength to those in need.

I send the energy of love where it is needed.

It’s easy to watch the happenings of this world and feel pain for those in pain and to suffer along with those who suffer. Empathy is a powerful connection. A better connection is compassion. Feeling miserable on behalf of others does nothing to improve their situation and can even add unhelpful energy where the opposite is needed. As we watch the events of the world we can strive to keep our thoughts and emotions positive, uplifting, and beneficial. We can send loving, healing, and productive, positive loving energy to those in need. Doing so helps them while allowing us to remain in a healthy place too.

I am grateful to know there is one person in the world I can count on.

I never take this friendship for granted.

It is not the number of people we know that counts, but who we can count on. Anyone who can say that they have but ONE true friend has a precious gift. Ah but the world likes us to think that more is better, even in friendships. Emails and social media reinforce the idea that we need to have A LOT of friends or… Or what? It only takes one friend to save a life. It only takes one friend to help another back to their feet. It only takes one friend to get a laugh, catch a tear, or lend an ear…or a shoulder…or a hand. One. Let’s be grateful today for our true friends, whatever their number.

Albert Einstein famously said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” The latter places life on a much more vibrant and impressive palette. What constitutes a miracle is up to the witness and the key is belief. We can not see what we do not believe in. Being open to the belief that the miraculous is all around us allows our hearts to recognize and see miracles everywhere. An unfettered belief in miracles opens doors to every imaginable possibility, inspires awe and gratitude, and adds magic and mystery to a sometimes all too mundane world.

There are times when everyone needs solitude. To be alone with one’s own thoughts, own choices, own experiences and even one’s own messes, is a healthy thing. Without the influence or interruptions from others we can dig deep and reconnect with our selves, problem solve with our inner wisdom, and listen to the quiet beating of our own hearts. It’s healthy for the self and it’s healthy for relationships. Taking time to be alone can foster deep appreciation for the time together. Missing someone can be a very good and perspective-shifting experience. Spending time with ourselves can be as simple as taking a walk or afternoon at the lake. Whether it is for one day or a whole week, time apart from others can be beneficial for everyone.

There are times when laughter really is the best medicine. It releases feel-good hormones, raises vibrations and can create an opening where a change in perspective to take place. Taking things too seriously for too long can lead to all kinds of problems, both physically and emotionally. And the truth is, people who take life too seriously aren’t a lot of fun to be around. Every aspect of life needs balance and seriousness needs to be tempered with levity. A great way to lift spirits or lighten a mood is to watch a funny movie or online video, read jokes, go to a comedy club, or watch a comedian on television. To keep balance in our lives, we can resolve to see the lighter side, and to engage in activities that produce laughter.

“I have to….” How many times do we hear ourselves saying those words during the course of a day? “I have to get that paper written.” “I have to call Chris.” “I have to go make dinner.” “I have to get the bills paid.” Today is a good day to begin eliminating the words “have to” from our vocabularies and realize that everything is a choice. Everything. We do not HAVE TO make dinner, we choose to. We do not HAVE TO pay the bills, we choose to. Sometimes all those HAVE TO’s can make us feel like victims of our own lives, when in truth each HAVE TO is merely a choice we have said yes to. We alone are responsible for our choices and how they make us feel. And we choose as we do because of consequences.

We do not HAVE TO stop at red lights, we choose to because the consequences of not stopping (a ticket) are less desirable than the consequences of stopping (arriving late). We choose to pay the bills because we prefer the consequences of paying them over the consequences of not paying them. We may not enjoy fulfilling every choice but do so by our own choosing. Realizing that everything is a choice, we might even see an opportunity to choose not to do something, instead of feeling we HAVE TO. Will the world end if we leave the dishes? Whatever we do – or don’t do – we take full responsibility for that choice. There is empowerment in choice and by recognizing that everything we do is the result of our own choosing, we reclaim our power.

If we desire abundance but keep seeing lack everywhere we look, we need to turn and look in a different direction. If we desire health but our attention is only on ailing, we must change our point of view. We cannot experience, achieve, or manifest a desire if we’re looking in the direction of what we do not want. And since we can only see in the direction we face, we must be facing that which we desire. If we desire harmony, we must look in the direction of harmony rather than staring at discord. If we wish to have a life we are grateful for, we must be seeing that which we are grateful for. If we do not like what we’re seeing, we must change our position.

If intuition is the sixth sense, love is the seventh, and its instrument is the heart. With the heart we can see the world and its experiences through the eyes of the Divine. With the heart we can see the pathway to forgiveness. With the heart we can hear words without judgment or fear. With the heart we can touch the lives of those who suffer or need. From the heart we can speak words of appreciation, compassion and tolerance. When we use our hearts to experience life through loving – just as we use our eyes to experience life through seeing and our hands to experience life through touching – the world and all in it are seen as having higher purpose, divine mystery, and an inherent beauty. Anytime life takes on a troubled hue, we can see it differently by looking with the heart.

Today I will pause to reflect on the many who have chosen to share some time on this planet with me.

I am thankful to my beloved for choosing to share another day with me, recognizing that it is a choice.

I am thankful to my family for choosing to share some of their time on earth with me, recognizing that it is a choice.

I am thankful to my friends for choosing to let me walk a while with them in life, recognizing that it is a choice.

Just as we’re learning to appreciate the role choice plays in our lives, we can also appreciate the choices of others, and how their choices make a positive difference in our world. Every day that a friend is still a friend, we are blessed by their choice to share part of their journey with us. Even those we appear to be well rooted in life with – children, parents and spouses – can choose at any time to be elsewhere and without our company. When we acknowledge that our interactions and time shared are based on choice, we’re less likely to take them or our relationships for granted, instead experiencing each moment with a fully grateful heart.

It’s so easy to be drawn in by the lure of lack and insufficiency, our media sources drown us daily with information about what we don’t have enough of – things like health, style, beauty, security, financial freedom and excitement. And media very generously offers the solutions to these same shortage problems – drugs, fashion trends, makeup and cosmetic surgery, insurance and investment options and a slick sports car with a sexy passenger. Those same media sources also try to convince us that what we do have isn’t good enough – think bigger house, fuller breasts, whiter teeth, greener lawns, more sexual vigor and fewer gray hairs. The outside world is constantly selling us the idea that what we have and what we are is not enough. No wonder our attention is constantly falling on what we believe is missing or in short supply! The truth is that we already have and are so much more than we think.

To see what we have we need to shift our perspective from one of lack and shortage to one of abundance and flow. That shift begins by recognizing how often we put our attention on what we want more of, less of or better. While some want is born of a desire for expansion, as in, “I want to someday take a trip to Spain,” most want has a very different energy, as in , “I want a more agreeable and loving partner.” (which translates to, “I don’t have a very agreeable and loving partner.”) And it’s the want that comes from lack that keeps us in misery. Once we recognize our patterns of wanting and from where they derive, we can make a switch and start thinking instead about what we have.

By shifting from constant thoughts of “I want…” to constant thoughts of “I have…” we begin to appreciate what we already possess and experience and how perfectly it has served us. Thoughts of “I have…” and the gratitude they provoke are the seeds for future abundance and plenty. When we see that same partner with grateful “I have…” eyes, we start to notice wonderful traits previously hidden by our discontent and our attitude toward them changes. Most amazingly, as our perspective changes from want to have, the things we have and appreciate begin to transform and become the things we always wanted.

Happiness is part of our natural state of well-being. No matter what we are we are surrounded by, no matter what we believe we lack, no matter how busy or tired or disappointed we are, we can still be happy. Though struggles and pain can make choosing to experience happiness a challenge, it is always a choice, one made possible by shifting perspectives.
When we set prerequisites for happiness – when I have more money, when I get a new job, when I fall in love, when I retire – we make happiness an elusive dream, one we may never catch up to. None of us know what our tomorrows will bring or how many we have in front of us. What if we wait too long? By choosing to be happy in the moment, just as things are, we create a pathway for the rest to come…and feel better while we’re waiting. We may have to wait for retirement, but no one has to wait for happiness. Happiness is part of who we are already. It’s only a matter of choosing to let it be our dominant expression.

Consider the dreams you have for yourself. Now ask yourself if you honestly believein their coming true. Do you expect them to become reality, or not-so-much? Do you take action that supports the fulfillment of your dreams or are your actions counter-productive? Too often our dreams sit idle – placed high upon the shelves of our imaginations only to be looked at and sighed over wistfully from time to time but never touched. Dreams don’t just manifest themselves into reality without those two magic ingredients – belief and action. Our beliefs create an opening that allows our dreams to come to us. Our actions create the energy vortex that draws them into our experience. Dreams need our help to come true and today is a good time to start moving confidently toward their realization.

Every day is a winding road that we’re traveling for the first time. Some days we feel like seasoned navigators, others more like orphans dropped from the stars. Our displaced orphan days are often the hardest to journey through. Imagine being placed in a car, in the middle of a foreign landscape, with no knowledge of where you are, and being told to drive to a city called Point B. Not knowing where we are in life can feel much the same, but those are the days of *growth* and *expansion*. Those are the times we have opportunities to cultivate faith, build inner strength and surrender to the mystery. And it doesn’t matter if we get lost, because it isn’t about the destination, it’s what we learn along the way.